About 130,000 companies in the U.S. are involved primarily in auto repair, with combined annual revenue of $65 billion. Aside from dedicated repair establishments, 45,000 gas stations, 24,000 new car dealerships, and branches of department store chains provide some car repair work. Thus, there is a large demand for automotive and industrial vehicle repair tools that are easy to use and offer time savings.
Heavy-duty universal joints, also known as Spicer® series, are commonly used on over-the-road vehicles and for industrial and off-highway applications. They are designed for long life at moderate torque levels, though they are capable of withstanding high momentary torques such as those encountered in starting a load or moving a vehicle. As effective as such joints are they do require periodic replacement or maintenance. Mechanics who work on such vehicles each subscribe to their own way of removing joints. However, many of these methods may subject the joint, and possibly adjacent items, to damage. Many times, a press may be used. However, such presses are prone to slipping off and possibly causing damage or injury. Other methods that may use a hammer or a pry bar are even more dangerous.
As those who have ever worked with heavy-duty joints will attest, replacing them with a punch and hammer requires a great deal of physical exertion and time spent ensuring that the positioning is correct. Further, there is often times inadequate space to swing a hammer with the necessary force to remove the joint. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which an individual can quickly and easily remove heavy-duty universal joints or Spicer® joints without the numerous difficulties described above. The development of the present invention fulfills this need while adding ease of use and efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,115,037 issued to Schlegelmann et al. discloses a universal joint and method of servicing a staked universal joint. This patent does not appear to disclose a tool device and method for quickly and easily removing heavy duty universal joints for servicing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,412 issued to Hurtado discloses a universal joint tool. This patent does not appear to disclose a tool device that bolts onto the universal joint and when manipulated quickly and easily removes a heavy duty universal joint.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,667 issued to Joyner and Oess discloses a method for fabricating the assembly of a universal joint. This patent does not appear to disclose a tool device and method of using the tool device to quickly and easily removing heavy duty universal joints for servicing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,740 issued to Siedler discloses a universal joint disassembly tool. This patent does not appear to disclose a tool device that bolts onto the universal joint and does not use a hexagonal feature to displace the bearing cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,252 issued to Jansen discloses a press for installing universal joint bearing cups. This patent does not appear to disclose a tool device and method for quickly and easily removing heavy duty universal joints for servicing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,660 issued to Maynard discloses a tool for removing or mounting a bearing cup. This patent does not appear to disclose a tool device that bolts onto the universal joint and when manipulated quickly and easily removes a heavy duty universal joint.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,544 issued to Ferguson discloses a process and apparatus for universal joint disassembly and assembly. This patent does not appear to disclose a tool device that bolts onto the universal joint and when manipulated quickly and easily removes a heavy duty universal joint.
The prior art appears to disclose various tools for working on universal joints, either to insert a bearing cup or remove a bearing cup. The prior art does not appear to disclose a removal tool device that bolts onto the universal joint and utilizes a to mounted hexagonal feature connected to a driver shaft to quickly, safely, and easily remove a bearing cup from a universal joint.